Showing posts with label non-fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label non-fiction. Show all posts

Friday, September 12, 2008

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

For those of you who are regular readers, you know I'm not really into non-fiction. I actually chose this book for our Book Discussion Group at my library. They like to have books with lots of controversy so they have a lot to talk about.

Sedaris writes about his life and the lives of his family and friends. I laughed a lot at their antics, although there were many sad and poignant stories as well. He has admitted that he tends to exaggerate things at times, but I think that added to my enjoyment, rather than detracted from it. Some of my favorite stories in this book are about his baby brother. He is so crude and much larger than life. Even if you normally like fiction, you'll probably enjoy this too.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach

Now, non-fiction is normally persona non-Grata in my reading repertoire, unless it is about paint techniques or recipes. But, as I was taking Peyton to Story Hour at my local library (not MY local library, but the one I pay for with my taxes), this book caught my eye. First, I was impressed that a very small-town library would have this book, as I looked at buying it for MY local library, but I didn't think it would get checked out much. Second, MY local library does have her previous book "Stiff" (no, it's not about sex, it's about dead people) and it was very funny. Third, who isn't interested in sex?

So, I checked it out along with Peyton's farm books. This was a hilarious book! I kept laughing out loud while reading it, causing Hans to shush me because he was trying to read his book (yes, Hans reads now, as long as it is Clive Cussler). Mary Roach has a way of putting things that just makes you smile. She really researches her subjects too. Almost every page had foot notes. Also, since many sex researchers have a hard time getting things through their Human Subjects Review Boards, she volunteered herself, and at times, her husband as well to participate in these studies so that she could get an inside look at what was happening. I'm not going to detail these escapades here, but it is worth reading the book for that alone. Now, I am not going to tell you that there aren't things in this book that you'd probably be happy never knowing (did you know that piglet production rises by 6% when the female pigs are manually aroused before being artificially inseminated?). But, nothing, I think, that will scar you for life. Take a chance, I think you'll laugh.